CO'BRA, or COBRA DE CAPELLO, ko'bra da ka-pc'6 (Port.. hooded snake). One of a group of Oriental venomous snakes constituting the pro teroglyphic genus Naja. There are six or seven species. dwelling in Asia and Africa. Of the African species the best known is the asp (Naja haie): see ASP. The Asiatic cobras are not large, except the 'giant' cobra (Sofa bun garus), which is sometimes 13 feet long. (See HAMADRYAD.) Several species belong mainly to the Malayan region and are comparatively small and harmless. None is American, the 'cobras' of Brazil being something else, usually harmless.
The cobra de eapello (Sofa tripudians) is the most interesting one. as it is exceedingly numerous throughout India and Ceylon, thence westward to the Caspian, and eastward throughout the :Malay Peninsula and into southern China: and is justly regarded as the most deadly of venomous serpents—certainl• the most harmful considered in the aggregate, the annual mortality from its bite in India alone exceeding 5000 human beings, besides a great quantity of live stock. Little can be done to prevent this, because of the religious veneration with which the 'blacksnake' (the na tive name) is regarded by the larger part of th6 population. This species rarely exceeds six feet in length and is a rather slender, brownish snake (bluish beneath) with lighter cross-bars; but the markings are variable. The head is small, without the triangular and separated appearance of the vipers; but when the snake is angry or excited and about to strike, it lifts from the ground a third of its length, and spreads the nu chat ribs until the neck expands into a broad. shell-like hood of terrifying appearance; and the back of this hood displays a yellow mark, more or less of the shape of a pair of spectacles.
These cobras wander even up to elevations of 8000 feet in the Himalayas, but are most common in the lowland jungles, where they are able to climb trees, although seldom doing so: and as they can swim well they often enter the water after frogs, fish, etc. They are attracted to vil
Sages, enter gardens and houses in search of mice and other small mammals, or of eggs and young poultry, and are likely, especially during the rainy season. to take up their residence in old house,, broken wa lIs, fodder-stacks and rubbish-heaps, a red renmin there. It is about such places, especially at night, that they are most often trodden upon, and fatal bites are received. They are sluggish and strike rarely except when provoked or enda ngered ; and they may be killed by a slight blow. Their Idle. when well delivered by a vigorous snake, is almost surely fatal; men have been known to per ish within half an hour. and in such cases all so called are useless. The itninunity this snake receives among the llindus is due toa belief that it once spread its hood as a shade over Bud dha while he slept, and was blessed by the saint, who placed the spectaele-nmrk upon its back as a warning to the kite not to molest it. Little head way can be made against this superstition in ef forts toward extermination of this deadly reptile, which occasionally penetrates even the gardens and parks of large towns. Its natural enemies are few. chiefly the kite, the mungoos (q.v.), and cat tle (by tramping).
BIBLIOGRAPHY. For these and other poisonous Bibliography. For these and other poisonous snakes of the Old World, consult authorities re ferred to under SNAKE ; also Eayrer. Thanato phidia of India (London, 1874) : Ewart, Po-ison ons Snakes of India (London, 18781. See PRO TEROGLYPHA and Colored Plate of FOREIGN VENOMOUS SERPENTS.